1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a computer system and, more particularly, to a computer system having a motherboard with a serial number permitting executions of licensed software.
2. Description of the Related Art
Each workstation in a system has a unique serial number to identify itself from other workstations. The serial number is usually stored electronically on the workstation's motherboard. This number is often used by an operating system to create a unique name (i.e., UNAME) that is passed to an application software making a UNAME call. The application software uses the UNAME to ascertain whether a software license has been granted permitting the execution of the application software on the workstation.
Conventionally, the serial numbers were stored on workstations' motherboards using two methods. The first method was to store the serial number into a secure device such as an electronically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM) located on the motherboard at manufacture time. This number was unchangeable since the serial number could only be read from the EEPROM. This, therefore, provided a level of security to software vendors knowing that only workstations with the proper permission were able to run the application software.
Typically, when a workstation's motherboard malfunctioned, it was replaced by a new motherboard which ordinarily had a different serial number. Using the new serial number, the operating system, then, created a UNAME which was different from the one expected by the application software. Accordingly, in order for the workstation to run the application software a new license had to be provided. This entailed contacting the software vendor and requesting the new license. This exercise usually translated into a loss of use of the software for a period of time which, often times, contributed to a loss of productivity.
The second method was to store the serial number in a lockable region in a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM) or some similar technology on the motherboard. System firmware would lock the region to make it a read-only region before passing control to the operating system. This method allowed the serial number of a replacement motherboard to be changed to that of the original motherboard by running a utility software before passing control to the operating system. Hence after a motherboard replacement, the operating system continued to create proper UNAME allowing the application software to run on the workstation uninterrupted. However, since the serial number was able to be changed at a user's whims, the software vendors were not assured that proper licenses always existed for the software running on the workstations.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a method that allows serial numbers to be changed in case of motherboard replacements allowing application software to continue to run on workstations without interruption while assuring software vendors that licenses, permitting an application software to run on a workstation, exist.